New Delhi: Delhi woke up to a pleasant morning on Wednesday with a light haze hanging over the city. The early morning temperature stood at 14 degrees Celsius, but the day is expected to warm up significantly, with the India Meteorological Department predicting a high of 31 degrees Celsius later in the day. Humidity levels are high, ranging between 90 per cent in the morning and dropping to 30 per cent through the day. Mist is expected to linger through the morning hours, though no weather warning has been issued.
Mercury Rising Through the Week
The week ahead brings warmer days for Delhi. Temperatures are set to climb steadily, touching 32 degrees Celsius by February 27 and 28, before hitting 33 degrees Celsius by March 3. Night temperatures will also inch upward, settling between 15 and 16 degrees Celsius through the week. Misty mornings are expected to continue across the coming days with no warnings in sight.
Air Quality Slips to Poor
While the weather stays dry and warm, Delhi’s air quality tells a different story. Several monitoring stations across the city have recorded Poor to Very Poor air quality levels this week.
Anand Vihar recorded the worst air quality in the city at 309, falling in the Very Poor category. Wazirpur followed at 254, with Chandni Chowk at 239, ITO at 238, RK Puram at 220 and DTU Delhi at 214 — all in the Poor category.
IGI Airport and IIT Delhi recorded relatively better numbers at 159 and 145 respectively, both falling in the Moderate category.
What to Expect
Residents, especially those with respiratory conditions, are advised to limit outdoor activity during morning hours when mist and pollution levels are at their highest. The combination of rising temperatures and poor air quality is likely to persist through the first week of March.
